BLEACHED ORA Neon Birdsnest! :( Advice needed!!

[ISFNick]

I got a new light, and I ran it at 50% for the first day, and I think it was a bit too much
My Neon Birdsnest is now super bleached!! Any advice on how to reverse this?

I also had 5 frags of the same coral on my sandbed, and 2 of them were killed off by bleaching too . All the other corals are unaffected.

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

Looks like polyp bailout to me.

 

[ISFNick]

Looks like polyp bailout to me.

What does that mean?

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

The polyps aren't bleached, they fell off which is a sign of much higher stress. Birdsnest can be an easy coral to grow, but it can also be the first coral to show signs of stress.

What light were you using before? What is your new light? What other changes have been made?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Check Alk and PH.
Also Verify salinity is NOT HIGH

 

[ISFNick]

The polyps aren't bleached, they fell off which is a sign of much higher stress. Birdsnest can be an easy coral to grow, but it can also be the first coral to show signs of stress.

What light were you using before? What is your new light? What other changes have been made?

I was using an AI Hydra 26HD, but I decided I wanted something smaller to make room for a protein skimmer. Plus the Hydra was overkill for my 10 gallon. I got an AI Prime 16HD. I started the first day with a modified AB+ Spectrum at 50%, which is when I spotted bleaching. Since then it's been at 25%. A par meter is coming to help me tune the light.

 

[ISFNick]

Check Alk and PH.
Also Verify salinity is NOT HIGH

Alk hovers around 9, PH hovers around 8.2.
Salinity is always 1.025-1.026

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk hovers around 9, PH hovers around 8.2.
Salinity is always 1.025-1.026

For a piece of mind- run a water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test for comparison and confirmation. Moderate water flow for by Birdsnest and 50/50 on blue/white

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

I'm not completely familiar with the models of lights, but did the hydra have UV?

 

[ISFNick]

I'm not completely familiar with the models of lights, but did the hydra have UV?

Yeah it does!